Stroller Question - Need Help

[abwilliams22]

We are coming to disney in October for the land/Sea package. At the time of trip, I will have an almost 5 yo & 18 mos. At home, I have an old umbrella stroller (that is beginning to show its wear & tear) and a stroller that came with a stroller system (too big to take).

I am needing to purchase a new stroller(s) thanks to the price increase of the stroller rentals at disney. I am going to need two strollers (not a duo) b/c I'm sure at times my dh my take the little one back to the room if need be. I will be buying a stroller connector to help if one of us is riding & the other one with the girls (we have another couple going with us & their 3 yo). I have thought a/b two umbrella strollers, but then I will need to buy some cup holders & a mesh bag to store stuff in the back. I think it will be easy to fold up & I will be gate checking it.

Then I found this stroller:

http://www.target.com/Cosco-Soria-S...v&field-browse=3580001&rank=pmrank&rh=&page=3

I love this stroller! It is very reasonable priced & I would need two. It has a tray for the kids & one for adults, plus a storage area underneath. Here's my problem: I can't actually see it before I buy it. I went to Target this weekend to see if I could actually look at it, but no luck - wasn't at Babies R Us either or Walmart. I'm just afraid that it will be hard to gate check since I'm guessing it doesn't fold up like an umbrella stroller.

What do you think? I have only gate checked an umbrella stroller & don't know how it would work with one that is a little bigger. I would appreciate any feedback - Thanks

 

[mikehn]

We gate checked a full sized Evenflo stoller, without a bag, and had no problems at all.

 

[jamesmommy]

I purchased a Cosco Avila stroller (looks very similar to me, maybe the wheels are a wee bit larger than the one you are considering) a couple of years ago for us to use at Disney World, since we are APs and are there often. It was a cute stroller, it wasn't huge folded, and wasn't too difficult to deal with. Checking it should not be an issue. The handles are a little lower than what I was used too, but not as bad as the inexpensive umbrellas, which tear my back up, and I am only 5'1".

It was definitely made for a smaller child, and would probably work great for you younger one, but I don't know about the older one, maybe for a one time thing like Disney without the tray. My son was 3-1/2 and 33lbs. and around 36" tall, but long legged, and it was tough getting him in and out because of the tray. His knees sat quite high, and the tray wasn't that comfy for his knees. The tray and cupholders were the whole reason that I bought the stroller and the cupholders were small, and would only hold small cups or bottles, which was okay for a few of his sippy cups, not all, but not for my drinks, which ended up residing in the folded up hood. My son hated the tray, because he couldn't get in and out by himself. The weight limit on the one we had I believe was 40 lbs, which is the weight limit on the Soria. It was an okay stroller, but it seemed kinda flimsy, and we ended up getting rid of it in favor of a Maclaren. We have never missed having a tray at all, DS (now 5) now just holds his own drink, and he sits at the table when we stop to eat. HTH.